1. PAID IN JAPAN (Kobayashi 12367-77-5902-02, 1985). A souvenir
of Tap's aborted Japanese tour which ended This is Spinal Tap
on such a triumphant note. Contains the complete Kobe Hall concert
as seen in the film. This was put out in the aftermath of the
release of TIST in Japan (whose title in Japanese was, roughly,
Maximum Heavy Rocker Warrior Tour). Shortly after its release
in Japan, the master tapes vanished. Some fingered as the culprit
Joe "Mama" Besser. Accordingly, it is one of the rarest
of Tap collectibles and changes hands for prices in the low two
figures.

2. LISTEN TO THE FLOWER PEOPLE/RAINY DAY SUN (Independent
Records, #I-569, 1967). Megaphone's American branch label thought
this single would definitely not play in the USA. "Too British"
was the rationale at the time. So they licensed a release to
this small Los Angeles label. When the single broke, American
Megaphone quickly rereleased it and its attendant LP, scoring
the biggest hit of Spinal Tap's chart career. There are two things
of note: 1) the label contains an error: the group is credited
as Spinal Top, and 2) Rainy Day Sun, appears here in a truncated
2:30 version, applying what was known at the time amongst British
artists as the "American fade"; the song was merely
faded out at 2:30. It was not until Break Like the Wind's severely
remixed version of RDS that I had heard that final 1:30, and
oh what a 1:30 it is! (I would like to hear the original long
mix someday, but I don't have $100 to blow on an original UK
pressing of Tap's first LP!)

3. GIMME SOME MONEY/CUPS AND CAKES (shown as by the Dutchmen)
(Disken Joie 45-22150006, 1965). Dutch reissue of their first
single as the Thamesmen. Released during their stint in Holland
with Jan van der Kvelk. Came in a (very rare) picture sleeve;
unfortunately due to an error at the printing plant and bad translation,
the picture sleeve contained a picture of the Regulars (originally
the Originals, the East End London combo that forced Nigel and
David to change their band's name to the New Originals), who
may have been signed to Abbey Records at that time.

4. HIGH HEELS, HOT WHEELS/HEAVY DUTY (12" disco remix
single) (Megadisco R12-566, 1976). An extra-long remix available
to disco DJs only. Released to promote the quickly vanishing
Tap Dancing disco remix LP  these were two different mixes
not appearing on the album. Apparently issued in very limited
numbers solely in France and Canada.

5. FLESH TUXEDO (bootleg LP). Recorded at two concerts in
Ooverhoort, the Netherlands, and Liege, Belgium, during Tap's
mid-Seventies heyday. These are audience recordings, but of fair
quality. The only distraction is a fan near the recording device
yelling "louder!" in French throughout the entirety
of Side Two. Issued around 1975 in an edition of 2000, and later
reissued in several extremely limited runs on flesh-colored vinyl.

6. HARK, BEOWULF: A FUSION OPERA BY DEREK SMALLS' JAZZ AVENGERS
(Warren Brothers XCJ-12-3557-02). This obscure 1986 release is
very odd. Although allegedly produced by Derek, he was probably
not a member of the group. He is not credited with any playing
or songwriting on this LP, a strange jazz/funk reworking of the
myth of Beowulf. Although Derek, upon being shown the LP during
a 1994 interview, stated that he could remember anything about
it, he did not deny having any involvement either. "It was
a bad time," Derek recalled. "That period is very hazy."
What period? asked the interviewer. "The Eighties."

7. IT'S A SMALLS WORLD (Potato CD-12) (1992) A bootleg CD
issue of Derek's never-issued solo LP from the late Seventies.
Released to coincide with the release of Break Like the Wind.
Contains bonus tracks in the form of several outtakes of the
same period which were not intended to be on the LP. Less irritating
than the bootleg LP, "It's a Dubs World," but not much.
Also includes a couple of Skaface outtakes. For serious Derek-heads
only.